Its a great mic, but don't expect miracles outside in a high wind. Since we have a precedent of referring to a post in another forum :-), I reported about trying it outside in http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-things-audio/494144-reducing-wind-noise-beyond-dead-cat.html

"I failed [to avoid wind noise] miserably myself yesterday when trying out a Rode Videomic Pro on an open top deck bus tour. OK my free deadcat hasn't arrived yet, but I don't think it would have made any difference as the wind force was nearly taking the mic right out of the shockmount."

Andy, Rode did have a small quantity of out of spec aluminium shoes that were delivered and installed on VMPs (only) before they knew of the problem. The batch checks were Ok but understandably they don't check every single one by fitting it on a camera.

If anyone else has that problem, loosen the screw and turn the shoe 180 degrees and try it before anything else. Shouldn't have too I know but it works on some, if it doesn't .. you don't want to file it down and you're not satisfied and why should you be, as reported elsewhere contact Rode support for an immediate replacement.

Cheers.

Allan,

The shoe would not fit with a 180 degree turn - I measured both ends with calipers and they were similar/still too wide. For the record the Serial Number is a little over 1800 and it was bought in the UK from an amazon marketplace seller. It was a simple and very quick solution to what looks to be the only metal part of the unit - I spent 20 odd years as an R&D Engineer in industry so it really was not a problem for me to work out what was needed (!) but thanks for confirming it was a Rode thing and not a Panasonic thing.

Sure, I bet someone will not feel as brave about very slightly modifying a brand new item with a fine file - and for those people they should do just as you suggest. As I mentioned, Rode have an exemplary record in dealing with any problems that might occur with their gear - something I found out from personal experience a few years ago (as you know) and it's one of the main reasons I now often buy their products.

Since mine has a similar but slightly lower S/N than Andy's, this prompted me to try the VMP out on all the accessory shoes I might need it to fit. No problem with any of the cameras (all Canon) but a VERY tight fit on a PAGlight 1021 accessory bracket.

Having said that, I had to operate on the two shoe fittings on the PAGlight bracket when I first got it. It wouldn't take an Rode SM3 shockmount or a Sennheiser EK 100 G2 without being opened out a bit with a large flat bladed screwdriver. It needed opened out a bit more with the VMP.

The VMP worked fine with Rycote hotshoe extension bars.

Was looking for this mic, but the only place I ended up was amazon. and that specific one changes price by 100 pounds every day :O

Is it worth the money or will I be ok with the simple video mic instead?

Wait until a market place seller (or someone more local to you in Greece) has them back in stock again at a sensible price. On amazonuk they seem to have jumped to about £180 from the £149 + free delivery that I paid just a few days ago.

Was using my VMP today and it's an excellent mic - really pleased with the sound and small footprint/light weight of the thing on camera.

I don't think I'll be using my original Rode Vodeomic much any more. Apart from the improvement in sound I get with the new Rode VMP, the old one also sticks out a lot at the back (as well as way out in front) when on a Canon DSLR such as my 7D, which is awkward to put it mildly. If you need to put a mic on the camera (usually the worst place for any mic...as we all know) then the VMP is the mic to go for, especially on a DSLR because of the +20dB setting and what it does with the AGC.

I also tried it again today on my Panasonic TM900 camcorder and the difference in audio quality between using it and using the on-board cam mics was very dramatic. I did a "with or without" direct comparison (of just my kids playing around in the garden while we cooked a BBQ). It's really obvious which option worked best - don't think I'll be using the TM900 again without the VMP on it! Very impressive...

So that's another great mic from Rode in my collection!

Prebooked mine from CVP Rode VideoMic Pro - Compact Shotgun Microphone (camera mic) (http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/index.php?t=product/rode_videomic-pro) and it arrived a week ago. Don't know how the delivery would be for you to Greece but you could ask them. Very reliable supplier in my experience. They have a "price match" deal at the moment on this.

haha! guys I am located in the UK, just havent changed the Greece on my profile. also the one on amazon atm is 261 pounds O.o

Here's another UK supplier:
RODE VIDEOMIC PRO at Studiospares (http://www.studiospares.com/rode-videomic-pro/invt/417860/&bklist=?htxt=ff0TlCK6VTuvg1zWbxe0DxYwCAlVE0Y%2BoAVECeeFHTTkR1BYO5VuSLBtsXa7Uw3xwPZeF0mmCOEo%0AKLKvb% 2FtIuQ%3D%3D)

I received my Rode Videomic Pro today. I can't get the battery cover off to install a battery. I read the comments in this thread about the cover being difficult, but it looks like everyone figured it out - except me. I followed the instructions in the manual, but when I push up on the indentation, nothing happens. I have pushed pretty hard, but don't want to push any harder and break something.

Is there a technique beyond what the manual says?

EDIT: never mind, I finally pushed really hard and it came off. It was a pain to replace the cover too.

Dale, with approx. 70hrs battery life, I wrote that installation procedure from the VMP manual on a small piece of paper to go in the mic case.

Rode have sent 7000 VMPs to their dealers since Feb and they could have sold twice that many in that time, the Videomic is also in production, world demand remains constant.

Cheers.

Its a great mic, but don't expect miracles outside in a high wind. Since we have a precedent of referring to a post in another forum :-), I reported about trying it outside in http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-things-audio/494144-reducing-wind-noise-beyond-dead-cat.html

"I failed [to avoid wind noise] miserably myself yesterday when trying out a Rode Videomic Pro on an open top deck bus tour. OK my free deadcat hasn't arrived yet, but I don't think it would have made any difference as the wind force was nearly taking the mic right out of the shockmount."

Hi Colin,

Like Andy I want a vm pro mic for my Panasonic TM900, hoping to get one when the next batch arrives in the UK (at a sensible price). Just wondering how long it takes to receive the deadcat from Rode though as all my work is outdoors, so has yours arrived yet?

Thanks...

Hi Claire,

I hope Colin has his as then I might get mine shortly! My deadcat has yet to arrive (Rode said it could take up to 6 weeks).

I find the VMP fairly susceptible to breezes so I'm really hoping it will arrive soon!

I tried to fit the one from my original Videomic - in desperation but it won't fit properly. No question though, the sound with the VMP on my TM900 is way better than anything from the on-camera mics, especially when outside as the TM900 is very prone to picking up unwanted noise (as I'm sure you've found out). It's a great mic. For the record I paid £149 inc VAT and delivery.

I got my deadcat within a couple of weeks of registering my VMP. I haven't tested it in the wind, but I did find it to be quite tight and a bit hard to get on. I suggest putting it on with the mic off the camera.

... so has yours arrived yet?
No but I"ll let you know. That's 3 weeks now.

I tried to fit the one from my original Videomic - in desperation but it won't fit properly.

Hi Andy, thanks for that info. I believe I still have a Deadcat kicking around somewhere for an NTG1 I bought a while ago. Maybe that would cover the vital parts of the little mic with the help of some tape, elastic bands and/or scissors!

Ha! Just while I am waiting... though I haven't even got the mic yet, no one seems to have them in the UK.

No but I"ll let you know. That's 3 weeks now.

Thanks Colin.

No but I"ll let you know. That's 3 weeks now.

Three weeks? I registered mine on Feb 13 and haven't seen mine yet. Got an email from rode on Feb 21 stating the weather had delayed things but I shoud expect mine in about 3 weeks. That would have put delivery somewhere around a month ago. Very disappointing. Anyone else get the dead cat?

I would caution against high expectations of the deadcat. Perhaps someone who already has their deadcat for the Videomic Pro could confirm this, but I suspect that any wind catching the rear of the mic is going to be noisy.

I tried fitting the somewhat larger furry from an NTG-2 on to my VIdeomic Pro and it blowing on it from various angles (went through all this with the NTG-2 when deciding which bits to tape up). The front end was quite well protected but the back end wasn't. I would expect the proper furry to be better but as is often said there's no substitute for a full zepplin/blimp in a high wind.

Perhaps the TheWindCutter.com people will have a custom furry for the VMP available soon as in this thread http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-things-audio/491470-serious-wind-protection-zoomh1.html

Will make your gear look like Dennis the Menace has taken up video though.

Rycote make a deadcat (mini windjammer) for the Rode Videomic Pro too - so that's something else to consider for moderate protection if the freebie covering from Rode turns out to be not very effective.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rycote/5595169640/in/photostream

Sure, I'd also love to hear how people are getting on with the Rode deadcat (delivery and efficacy).

My Rode deadcat for the VMP just arrived. Very black! It is indeed a snug fit. Very light but seems to cover all the foam well and then can be firmly closed near the back with the velcro fastening. I assume it goes on with the Rode label and velcro bit uppermost.

Only a very slight breeze here today so I may or may not hear how effective it is - just filming the kids running around when we have a BBQ later.

Claire, just misses the top right of the frame on the TM900 on full wide but only if you brush the hair the right way. With care and occassional checking it should be just fine!

Andy,

I will look forward to hearing from how effective the DeadCat is in wind

Yes we have had a great April here in the UK, not much wind or rain and lots of warm sunshine, though I sowed some grass seed today to repair my lawn and hey it's now raining here in Stocksfield. That did it!

Question.. did the DeadCat arrive direct from Rode in Australia or from some UK/ EU source?

and what about Colin's, who has been waiting longer?

Hmm!

Deadcat is in Rode packaging, made in China and arrived from a distributor in London in a large A4 envelope that I thought might be empty as it was so light when I picked it up off the door mat.

Had some fun with it on camera this afternoon - but we've had no breeze to test it yet.

I've been thinking about it some more Claire. In any decent breeze the very thin/light hair is going to blow around a bit. In addition, to be most effective, the hair has to trap some still air around the mic so its probably best to "ruffle up" the hair a bit too. Both these things mean a few stray hairs will no doubt end up in the top right hand corner of frame on the Panasonic TM900 - when its on full wide (35mm).

So I guess it just means zooming in a bit on that cam when the deadcat is in use - or mounting the VMP on a simple bracket so it's a bit further away than where the little TM900's shoe adapter places it.

I think if the VMP is on the Rycote InVision suspension like in the photo above: 055409 MINI WINDJAMMER for Rode Video Mic Pro | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rycote/5595169640/in/photostream) the mic will be a bit higher, and the fur will not be an issue.

I have a spare Invision Video mount so will try it right now.

EDIT: OK just have - and sure enough it's well out of the way (and adjustably so). It looks a bit ungainly...both the Invision and VMP probably weight in total a similar amount to the tiny TM900. The otherwise excellent Invision's Lyre mounts are probably a little too stiff for such a light mic as well (note: the VMP's rubber band arrangement is "very soft" by comparison - there must be a reason Rode designed it that way).

But at least its another way - so cheers for the idea Chad.

Just been out this morning with my kids filming them ride bikes in a local cul-de-sac (i.e. fairly sheltered). We have a light breeze right now, about 10 mph according to the local weather page on the BBC News website. I used the TM900 in manual, with manual audio, Rode VMP with the new deadcat and the VMP set at the normal attenuation setting, without the high pass filter engaged.

Two observations having just reviewed the raw clips back home on a big monitor.

1. As predicted, on wider angles of view with this particular camera and its mounting shoe position, you get a few of the deadcat's hairs blowing around in the top right of frame!
2. I got quite a bit of wind noise - much more so than I imagined I would get. I was not monitoring sound with headphones (it was just with the kids playing around on bikes/family type stuff.....please forgive me for breaking one of the 10 commandments of sound!!!!). I did not try the high pass filter (wish I had now...) and I did not try it without the deadcat on - for a true scientific comparison. Claire, I imagine the sound was certainly better than it would have been just with the TM900's on-board mics (I did not try that but I know from experience that this cam's built-in mics are terrible at picking up wind noise even in the lightest of breezes).

For sure, I need to do some more tests with the VMP and its deadcat but from this VERY tentative initial observation I think Colin hit the nail on the head, don't expect too much when it gets breezy!

Thanks for that, Andy. To be fair, I don't think the VMP will be any worse than any other small condenser in a strongish wind. It probably doesn't do too well under water either:-)

Won't put me off using it but I tend to avoid on camera mics in the wind anyway.

Very true! Here are a couple of pics of the Rode Videomic Pro with its Rode deadcat mounted on the Panasonic TM900 accessory shoe. One shows how the deadcat fits across the back of the mic.

And here is a quick picture of the Rode Videomic Pro with its Rode deadcat mounted on the Canon 7D (with a Canon 10-22mm lens on).

I think that Rycote furry has shorter hairs, and most likely has better wind rejection. And is anyone has an InVision suspension with show mount - you'll have the mic a bit higher.

Hey Andy, that's not a dead cat - that's Gnasher from "The Beano!"

LOL! Yeah right, mine's a little more pretty though! Actually, I think the hair is tider on both Gnasher and the VMP deadcat than what I usually see on my 8 year old...

Hi guys, hope you dont think I am trying to teach you to suck eggs, but.
You can use the most expensive of wind reducing mic covers, and they wont make a bit of difference unless you have every joint, switch, connection point etc of your mic covered. I have Sennheiser and Rode mics, and they all let wind noise in at every one of the above mentioned points. Try this simple test. Switch your camera on, plug in headphones and blow gently around every switch, joint, cable inputs etc on the mic. It will sound like a force 10 gale through the headphones, and just as bad on the clips. Cover these areas and the problem is solved.

Like I said:
I tried fitting the somewhat larger furry from an NTG-2 on to my VIdeomic Pro and it blowing on it from various angles (went through all this with the NTG-2 when deciding which bits to tape up). The front end was quite well protected but the back end wasn't. I would expect the proper furry to be better but as is often said there's no substitute for a full zepplin/blimp in a high wind.).

Hmmm. Colin that gave me the idea to try the furry included in my Que Audio Sniper kit. Rather than a sock, it's like a folded napkin with velcro going the entire length of the furry, and I can actually cover my whole VMP with it -almost. It will totally cover my MKE400. That concept is what "TheWindCutter.com has used with their portable recorder furries. They are designed to cover the whole unit for better protection. I helped them develop the furry for the Sony D-50 and it works great.
The Wind Cutter Test - Chad's Sony D-50 on Vimeo

Does anyone know if Rode is still providing the free Deadcat?
The local Henrys stores don't have the promotion sticker or card in the box, and I'd like to save the 50+ bucks if possible.

Still waiting for my free one - that's about 10 weeks now.

Maybe I'm not to get one now after making rude comments here about how well I thought it would work :-)

I bought the VideoMic Pro a few weeks ago, registered it immediately and have not received a free Dead Cat. But, they can keep it. I'm looking for something more like my Rode Windjammers.

What I will say is I put the mic to a fair test over the past two weeks and was very pleased with the results. Add to that the fact that while shooting (a documentary about a youth flyfishing/conservation camp) I got a little excited when one of the kids landed a 5-pound rainbow trout, and in my excited state I didn't see the tree branch that separated the mic from its shoe mount. I contacted Rode to order a new mount, and they said they'd send me one without charge. I told them I didn't expect their warranty to cover accidents caused by my inattention, but they insisted on sending a new mount free.

That's a very cool way to do business. I now own 3 Rode mics now, and I'm sure there'll be more.

I've been contacted about the delay in supplying the Deadcat and a possible glitch with my mic registration.
Never doubt that the companies who actually care for their customers are keeping an eye on dvinfo!

I used the VMP outside in a light breeze on Friday and there was no problem with wind noise. My "Rig for Filming over the Heads of the Crowd" looked a bit silly when sticking up 5 feet over the heads of photographers but it worked a treat - a trick I used first at Disney parades. Here it is in use later, indoors, during a brief period when everyone else was sitting down. When all the punters stood up again to take photos I needed it up in the air again with the monopod fully extended and the camera remote in use.

I now have my free Deadcat VMP - thanks to Scott Emerton at Rode.

Rode dispatched it immediately after contacting me for confirmation of the details a week ago and it took just over 1 day to arrive in the UK from Australia but then DHL faffed about for 5 days before getting it the remaining 7 or eight miles to me (and that took several phone calls and emails).

So I now have a third furry from the Rode menagerie. Haven't had a chance to try it out yet but it seems to fit very well [EDIT] on the VMP.

Well my SECOND free Rode deadcat for the VMP arrived today. No idea why I've been sent another one but I guess it'll do for when I loose the one that I got sent a few months ago!

Looking for ideas for what to use it for? :-)

in a windy day =)

Has the free DeadCat promo expired? I've recently considered buying this mic for my DSLR.
I also have a Rycote INV-7 shockmount which I use for other mics, what is the benefit to using this with the VMP? Just so that it rests higher above the camera? Is it necessary? Does it work with any Invision mount or just a particular version INV model.

Thanks!
Craig

The Rycote Lyres are better at reducing rumble than the Rode rubber bands.

http://www.dslrnewsshooter.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/rode-1.jpg

Chad - I'll give you an 8 out of ten for alliteration. How about

Reducing rumble - Rode rubber bands rank "reasonable": rather recommend Rycote's restraining receptacle.

Right! Your Ranking is roundly received, and rather right on the Rupee really.

The Rycote Lyres are better at reducing rumble than the Rode rubber bands.

http://www.dslrnewsshooter.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/rode-1.jpg

I have a question about this arrangement - I tried it but failed as the mic lead seems to be fixed to the bottom left corner of the suspension mount on the VMP so whilst one can detach the mount from the mic, one can't detach it from the mic lead so I'm struggling to so how the arrangement with the Rycote Lyre is practical. Am I missing something?

I also was disappointed by the amount of wind noise the Rode deadcat lets through compared to the Rode deadkitten I use on the SVM for example. I need a better solution. Does anyone know of a an on-camera blimp suitable for the VMP as I can't find anything apart from the Rode blimp which seems far too big?

There is a Rycote option - I think a picture (or at least a link) got posted earlier in this thread somewhere (or search online/the Rycote site). It sure is tricky "releasing" the tiny thin mic cable when you "de-mount" the mic from its Rode suspension to fit it in a Rycote Invision mount - but I have done it.

EDIT: Posted by me on 22nd April! Here you go....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rycote/5595169640/in/photostream

The cable is just wedged into a slot on the mic. It's pretty tight. Just finesse it out. Don't know of any "on camera blimps" This is not really a pro mic, so to get pro results you need a more traditional mic that fits traditional wind reduction options.